Alba Carothers
La Palma De CocoPart One
Nemencia walked away from her much-loved bohio. She said good-bye to her palma de coco. She had named it after the person who planted it, Sarafina, her mother.Nemencia had a connection with the tree, she felt protected.
Most mornings Nemencia dreaded her Tia Andrea's never-ending cruelties. On those mornings as Nemencia step outside of her bohio, Sarafina would bow with her branches, towards Nemencia as though it were trying to caress Nemencia's worries away.
Often during severe rainstorms other bohios thatched roofs were blown away, never Nemencia's. Sarafina's branches seemed to dance towards the wind and rain, teasing then to stay away from Nemencia's bohio. Though the tree could not speak, or move it trunk its sole presence give Nemencia peace of mind and heart.
The old Africans often told tales about Nemencia's little heaven. They believed it was sacred. Sarafina always protect Nemencia.
Tia Andrea never went near the bohio or the tree. She would even avoid its shade. Whenever she required something of Nemencia she would only approach just close enough be heard. Andrea wanted Sarafina chopped down. She had hired men from a different barrio to come and chop the tree down. Thier attempts failed. Never did Sarafina receive a nick from a machete. Anything or any one Tia Andrea could not manipulate or control was evil.
How could a tree be evil? It could not lift its roots, to walk or chase away harm and evil. It could not use its branches as switches to beat anyone.
Nemencia thought of the possessions she had left behind. She would never see them again. Never again would she lay her tired body down on the petate woven by her mother. She would never look at her reflection in her mother's mirror. It was presented to Sarafina as a wedding gift. The Los Africanos Viejos presented it to her on her wedding day.
Nemencia often wondered if she looked like her mother. Nemencia was almost six feet tall for a girl of fourteen. Her skin was the color of coffee beans. Her hair was golden brown like yerba buena left in the sun too long, its texture like freshly picked cotton. At first glance one would think she had a crown of hemp upon her head. Only when up close did a person realize she had coiled her braids on top of her head. Looking into her eyes, one would think of the bluish-green of the ocean . She was told by those who had known her mother, except for her bembes grande, she looked exactly like her mother. Is that why Tia Andrea called her among other names Bimbua?
Was Tia Andrea jealous because she herself lacked color in her skin and she lacked the formation of lips? Tia Andrea often mentioned to Nemencia that her look was unnatural. Tia Andrea was the unnatural one. Anyone one could tell who she was by the appearance of her hunched over and shapeless body. Her colorless face was always in a scowl. Her lips looked like an angry red gash instead of lips. Her eyes were beady and set close together, like eyes of a rat. Her nostrils was a heap of flesh with the nostrils too narrow to inhale the fragrance of the mango and guava trees. If she was not a human one would think she was related to a chuppa cabra. Perhaps that is why she was always frowning. Yet today she would not mind the wrath of her aunt, She was no longer afraid of Tia Andrea. Perhaps it would be the day Tia Andrea's hatred would be turned inward. Today she would to know the truth about her birth and the death of her mother.
Nemencia pulled her thoughts away from La Bruja sin colure. She continued to walk along the edge of the stream. Nemencia becoming aware of the coque's song. They were beckoning her to follow their soft croaking. Coque, Coque, Ven por aqui, Ven por aqui. They seemed to claim her nerves. Lead the way for her.
Living with Tia Andrea since her birth, today on her 14th birthday, it seemed important that she learned the truth. For some strange reason it was important for Nemencia to get away from Andrea
Part Two
Today Tia Andrea had gone too far, she was not la hija de la mala gradecia. Never had Nemencia been ungrateful for the meager life her aunt had provided for her. IF she turned around now she would avoid another beating, but it was too late. To the devil with Tia Andrea.Many times Tia Andrea had warned Nemencia about the path that led to the house of Cene. Why had she taken this path? Only Los Negros de Guayama, la ciudad de los brujos traveled the path she was on. Some how deep in her heart, Nemencia sensed this path would provide her protection. Cene would protect her. Cene the outcast and believer of Santeria. Cene and the powers of Yemaya and Chango was all she could think of. Who were they, what were their powers. Nemencia knew little about them, but she knew they would protect her too.
Nemencia didn't know why some people were scared of Cene. Nemencia had seen her many times when Tia Andrea sent her to the bodega. She felt a special connection to her but she didn't know why. Often times when she was in town she could feel Cene's presence. Tia Andrea refused to let Nemecia approach Cene. Many times when Cene looked at Tia Andrea, Tia Andrea would cover her eyes and make the sign of the cross as if to protect herself from an invisible evil, all the time shivering. Time and time again Tia Andrea would tell Nemencia, "Stay away from that Bruja. If you know what's good for you!"
"I don't care if it is your birthday tomorrow you will not be going anywhere. I've been the one caring for you all these years. Not even your own father can bring himself to look you in the face. By the time I get up tomorrow this house better be ready to receive my guests. You will not upset El Dia de San Juan for me. It is because of Cene your mother is dead" were the last words Tia Andrea had said to Nemencia last night. They were still ringing in her ear. Not tomorrow, never again would she be under the command of Tia Andrea, Nemencia thought to herself.
When Nemencia was not in the cosina preparing the feast food, Andrea was furious."I will beat that hijita de cabra senseless. How dare she disobey me!!," Andrea shouted as she ran to the back porch. Nemencia oye cabrita donde esta? When she did not get any response she started to run down to the stream. Andrea stopped suddenly; it was as though she slammed into an invisible wall She felt as if she was physically being held against her will. At that moment she felt as thought she had no power over her thoughts.
Her thoughts went back to when she first met her sister in law ,Sarafina. Maximillian had disgraced the family. How could he bring, La Negra into the house as a bride. Her parents had said nothing good would come out of the union. "Los Spanioles nuca se casan gon los salvajis", her brother had crossed the line. Andrea's only recourse was to make sure the Negra Hitona Sarafina would know her place. Andrea had attempts to limit Sarafina's interaction with the family had failed. Her parents always told her to keep the Negroes in their place, yet her parents treat Nemencia as parents would a treat a long lost child. All of Andrea schemes failed; instead she started to create an impenetrable wall of hate and anger that drove her family away. Her heart grew with jealously, anger and malicious. Andrea's thoughts flashed to the days she had followed her sister-in-law. Andrea's hatred was eating away at her insides.
Andrea disliked Sarafina, the hatred for the relationship Sarafina and Cene's shared was even stronger. She often watched as they walked away, hand in hand. They walked down to the stream just behind the house. Sarafina wished to give birth to away from the main house.
Though Maximillian protested, he gave into his wife's every whim. He was to gather all the materials needed but was not allowed to build it. According to the Africanos Veijo, it was the women who would build the birthing hut.
As Cene and Sarafina set to work on the thatched roof for the bohio. Andrea moved closer to listen to them, hoping to overhear anything that she could use against Sarafina. Cene told of childhood antics with her sister Anice. Sarafina could only remember her mother through her aunt's stories. It was their way of keeping Anice's spirit alive. As their conversation grew serious, Andrea moved closer. Stories of Eleggua, and Yamaya filled Andrea's ear.